Motion capture technologies have improved in recent years so that it is now possible for a computer to recognize the human form and to recognize and record a person's motion in three dimensions, as well as identify and track other objects in a person's environment. See, for example, www.primesense.com/solutions/technology/.
Sports medicine has for long been interested in developing metrics to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of motion-related disorders and impediments.
There has been a growing use of motion capture technology in medicine, though mostly this has been in a clinic, laboratory, or hospital setting, and in conjunction with assessment by a physician. For example, Jintronix uses motion capture to record a patient's movements in physical rehabilitation and relay them to a healthcare provider to provide for ongoing monitoring. See, e.g., www.jintronix.com/our-system/. West Health Institute has developed a product, Rehabilitation Management Tool, that allows a physical therapy patient to utilize Microsoft's Kinect to monitor whether exercises are being performed correctly. See, e.g., www.westhealth.org/institute/our-innovations/reflexion.
Motion capture technology has also been used in training and performance measurement in a sports setting. For example, Ikkos Training provides an application for allowing an athlete in training to replicate the movements of a professional. Information about the athlete's performance can also be viewed by medical personnel. See, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2010-0173274. In another example, Ubisoft uses Microsoft's Kinect product (e.g., www.xbox.com/en-US/KINECT) to assist an individual in practicing a work-out regime: see, e.g., www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0—4YEx07rw. Vicon uses optical marker data to monitor and analyse movements of athletes in a laboratory setting in order to quantify injuries or identify potential injuries. See, e.g., www.vicon.com/applications/life_sciences.html. Qualisys also uses motion capture based on optical tracking to monitor and analyse movements of athletes in a laboratory setting. See, e.g., www.qualisys.com/applications/biomechanics/gait-analysis-and-rehabilitation/. However, none of these technologies are used to direct training programs.
Nike has used motion capture technology in the generation of performance metrics, such as speed and endurance, but does not utilize a biomechanical analysis and does not assist an individual in identifying and improving upon movement pathologies. See, for example, nikeplus.nike.com/plus/support#answers/detail/article/nkt-settings, and: www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/training/nike-plus-kinect-training.
In sum, a way of monitoring an individual's biomechanics with motion capture technology in conjunction with providing to that individual suggested improved training regimens, outside the clinic, for example from within the comfort of the individual's home, has yet to be disclosed.
The discussion of the background herein is included to explain the context of the technology. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known, or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims found appended hereto.
Throughout the description and claims of the application the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as “comprising” and “comprises”, is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.